Birdie blitz gives Green LPGA Tour lead

Jaye Marie Green holds a one-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA Classic in Texas. Credit: AP

With six birdies in her opening seven holes, American Jaye Marie Green caught herself thinking about becoming only the second player in LPGA Tour history to shoot 59.

But by the end of the day she was happy enough with a seven-under 64 and a one-shot lead over Cheyenne Knight, heading into the final round of the Volunteers of America Classic in Texas.

Green's early birdie blitz started with six birdies in seven holes and eight birdies through 10 holes. She ran into a few problems down the stretch, saved herself with two big putts and wound up with her first lead going into the final round.

"When you're in the middle of it, you don't really realise like I only had two pars through 10 holes," Green said. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh. I'm like ... ah, forget about it.' If it's my time to shoot in the 50s, it will happen. But it didn't, and I was happy with how things went."

Cheyenne Knight, the 22-year-old Texan with plenty of support at Old American Golf Club, birdied the last hole for a 67 to get into the final group. Katherine Perry (66) and Solheim Cup player Brittany Altomare (68) were two shots behind.

None of the leading four players has won on the LPGA Tour.

For Knight and Perry, even more is at stake - full cards for next year.

Perry is No.118 on the LPGA Tour money list, while Knight is at No.120. Both likely need to finish in the top five to earn enough money to crack the top 100 and avoid going to the eight-round Q-Series qualifier.

There's also that matter of winning.

Green is in her sixth year and had a great chance four months ago at the US Women's Open when she went into the final round one shot out of the lead, only to make three bogeys on the back nine for a 73 to finish three shots behind.

"At the US Open what I learned was I was always picturing myself holding the trophy," Green said. "I'm like, 'Jaye, you're not there yet.' So today that was coming in my mind. I was like, 'Jaye, it's the third round. There's so much golf left, just stay focused.' ... I feel like I did a good job of doing that today."

US Women's PGA Championship winner Hannah Green, the only Australian to make the cut in the field, improved on her disastrous second-round 76 with a 73.